Persuasion (three stars)I enjoyed this one, perhaps because it wasn't quite as obvious how everything would play out (Pride and Prejudice (five stars)

Persuasion (three stars)I enjoyed this one, perhaps because it wasn't quite as obvious how everything would play out (not the ending, but how it would get there). enjoyable!

Emma (four stars)I really enjoyed this... I think I can connect to Emma the best out of all the Jane Austen heroines I've met so far, at least as far as personality, not necessarily matchmaking. And can understand things blowing up in your face and regretting decisions... seriously, who can't? Anyway. I think this might be my favorite so far. :)

Sense and Sensibility (four stars)

Mansfield Park (three stars)

Northanger Abbey (three stars)

Lady Susan (four stars)A little tricky at first, but I love the idea. And really fascinating characters. It made me think of perceptions... how we can view ourselves as better than we are, and how we are attracted to people who support our view of ourselves. (Lady Susan thought she was justified, and her friend agreed, etc.) A great view into how we function....more

Unsuccessful as a philosophy/fiction hybrid - Wells wrote more essays on his ideas of a utopia, then attempted to write transitions between them as fiUnsuccessful as a philosophy/fiction hybrid - Wells wrote more essays on his ideas of a utopia, then attempted to write transitions between them as fiction. This would have been much more successful if he had focused on the storytelling and world building while carefully weaving the ideas into the story, instead of breaking to it in every chapter. (And I'm currently reading The Great Divorce, where C.S. Lewis successfully intertwines fiction and theology, which makes A Modern Utopia seem even more awkward in comparison.) The final chapter puts an interesting twist/view over the whole book, but isn't enough to redeem the book. As to the ideas, as a Utopia, Ian and I picked apart his ideas as we read, Wells' confidence in humanity to improve towards utopia seems to be disproved by the present - while we have improved the human condition, I have a hard time swallowing that the passage of time will eventually erase all vices like greed and lust....more

A little tricky at first, but I love the idea. And really fascinating characters. It made me think of perceptions... how we can view ourselves as bettA little tricky at first, but I love the idea. And really fascinating characters. It made me think of perceptions... how we can view ourselves as better than we are, and how we are attracted to people who support our view of ourselves. (Lady Susan thought she was justified, and her friend agreed, etc.) A great view into how we function....more

I really enjoyed this... I think I can connect to Emma the best out of all the Jane Austen heroines I've met so far, at least as far as personality, nI really enjoyed this... I think I can connect to Emma the best out of all the Jane Austen heroines I've met so far, at least as far as personality, not necessarily matchmaking. And can understand things blowing up in your face and regretting decisions... seriously, who can't? Anyway. I think this might be my favorite so far. :)...more